Tim Hughes puts the boot into the highs and lows of the online travel business (with an Australasian/Asian bias) with some blogging about consuming and loving travel thrown in.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

eKit.com international mobile review from Madame BOOT

At PhoCusWright last year I managed to snag a photo with fellow Australian's John Diamond CEO eKit and Rod Cuthbert Executive Chairman of destination services company Viator. Now Madame BOOT has had a chance to try out eKit's overseas mobile product. Here is her review...

WHY USE ITMadame BOOT used it recently and has positive reports*. The main benefit was calling and texting to and from family in Australia, making and receiving calls and texts from friends and family in the UK and in Italy by using a SIM card, purchased through eKit.com before she left OZ, which she popped into her network-unlocked mobile phone when she landed in London. If your regular moby is locked ekit will provide you with phone and SIM. The highlight of global mobility was reaching friends from Australia who were holidaying in London by calling their Cypriot based mobile number (don't ask) with her UK-number SIM card, from an Australian-bought phone.

Texting was instantaneous to all mobiles, be they Italian, Australian, UK, or Cypriot. It only delayed once when it took 2 days to deliver an SMS and I suspect that was the fault of Mother's dodgy Telstra service. The beauty of landing at 6pm in Gatwick, turning on mobile, and having text message awaiting about dinner invitation for 8pm, was the epitome of ease-of-travel. The other moment that made her feel that it was a worthy service was turning her phone on while waiting for the Heathrow Express to reach Paddington, and immediately speaking to the BOOT and BOOTies who were on some farm in NSW with no landline.

HOW TO USE ITekit scores highly on ease of use. After you insert your SIM card you enter a PIN, dial the required number as per normal and within 10 seconds your phone rings and you are connected. Texting is as per normal: enter destination number and text and press send. You can set up automatic recharge so you don't run out of credit.

THE PRICE?Their Global Premium Service cost AUD39.99 and then texts and calls were charged as per usage, with a bunch of benefits thrown in. I leave it to you to decide if you consider it value for money as it is relative to your needs and what other services you can access. There is a 'passport' product for long-term travellers.

DOWNSIDES?You need to allow time for delivery, in this case 48hrs. So plan a little ahead. You need to memorise a new number and PIN or carry it with you.

(*She has NO links to the company, was not asked to review the product and paid her way)

Don't waste your money on this service. I spent more time calling customer service to try and get it to work, each time I was told differant instructions. In Europe just go to any mobile or cell company, way cheaper and no problem getting a sim card. Cost is about 0.09 euroes per min. not this company's high cost. Plus it will really work. October 2011

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